My Lady's Champion Book

Masterful crafting of a complex story of a medieval knight and a very capable woman managing her father's holding after his death. This was not a love match but a union by the overload to protect and grow two holdings within his realm. These two people do manage to fall in love and find each completes the other to create a very effective whole to govern their lands.

Melissande has been managing Annossy since her father's death five years ago. She was raised to do this job being an only child. She doesn't need a husband even if she's been betrothed to Amaud de Privas since childhood by their fathers. The only thing that plagues her is brigands at her borders raiding. She's breathing easier now that her cruel and scheming neighbor Jerome de Sayerne has died. He always coveted Annossy and tried to unite them.

She's called to her overload Tully's keep she finds he has other plans. Tully has called Sayerne's heir Quinn home, a crusading knight in the holy lands. When he arrives he finds Tully is requiring him to marry Melissande and defeat the brigands if he wants to earn Sayene. They have little choice but to obey, even though neither one is happy about it. Quinn goes about trying to unravel the mystery of the brigands while trying to win Melissande's trust. There are mysteries to solve and counterplots exposed as well as a delightfully drawn love story. Quinn learns how to run a keep from Melissande and Melissande learns Quinn is not his father's son. I'm so impressed with this author's voice.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.